ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the spatial tensions and conflicts that arise from forced displacement in urban areas, focusing on the cities of Lagos and Amman. Drawing on ethnographic memos collected during fieldwork, the chapter examines various conflicts occurring not only between forcibly displaced people and local communities but also between national governments and international actors. It highlights different approaches to managing these conflicts: in Lagos, where social tension with hosting neighbors forces internally displaced migrants to navigating social and emplacement instability; and in Amman, where containment strategies intended to prevent conflict have only led to denial of basic refugees rights. The chapter presents a framework for ongoing testing; via grounded theory and research on practice in various situations, these propositions may be further expanded and enhanced, thereby expanding understandings of conflicts and their embeddedness in everyday lives of displaced urban dwellers.
